The Art Newspaper's 2025 survey of the world's 100 most visited art museums reveals a strong but uneven recovery from the pandemic, with total visits reaching over 200 million. New museums in the Middle East, East Asia, and major Western cities have been major hits with the public, driving significant attendance.
While the overall museum landscape is robust, the data highlights a stark financial and attendance divide. Institutions like London's National Gallery and the Tate museums remain significantly below pre-pandemic visitor levels, leading to staff redundancies and budget deficits, while others like the British Museum and new venues such as the V&A East Storehouse are thriving, underscoring shifting public habits and the critical link between footfall and institutional financial health.